What are QC Checks?
Quality Control (QC) checks guarantee that the quality of a product meets set and pre-established standards. Such a process prevents defects from incurring in the finished products after they have been manufactured.
Quality Control procedures are not to be confused with Quality Assurance (QA) procedures. Where a QC process focuses on the product by identifying any quality issues in finished products, a QA process focuses on intercepting quality problems in the first place and can be seen as a preventive measure.
To put it more clearly:
QA checks the steps or actions that create the product, while QC checks the finished product. For better understanding, we have listed some examples for each type of process:
Quality Control
- Product sampling
- Laboratory testing
- Batch inspection
- Validation testing
Quality Assurance
- Employee training
- Documentation
- Investigation methods
- Inspections
- Supplier management
- Change control
In this article, you will learn:
1. The 5 Types of On-Site QC Inspections
2. 3 Kinds Of Defects to Look Out For During a Quality Control
3. How a Digital Checklist Can Facilitate Your QC Procedures
5 Types of On-site QC Inspections
Quality control processes exist in various industries, especially in manufacturing. Inspections of food and non-food products follow the internationally recognized ISO 2859-1 statistical sampling procedure, with a system that specifies the percentage that must be inspected to represent the quality of the entire batch. Two of the most common quality assurance methods include approaches such as Six Sigma or Kaizen.
Quality Control Methods vary from industry to industry, as well as from product to product. For certain sectors there exist the so-called ISO standards that are created and developed by International Organization for Standardization and give you guidelines as to what to pay attention to during your QC checks.
QC checks include on-site inspections with a detailed report to ensure that the products meet standard specifications. These inspections focus on keeping track of the manufacturing process and checking the physical condition of the finished product.
Here are the five types of on-site quality control checkups:
1. INITIAL PRODUCTION CHECK
This inspection happens before production starts until 20 percent of production is done. It clarifies production specifications and requirements. It also confirms whether the manufacturer can deliver the promised quality using the correct materials and process.
The initial production inspection should check the first item that comes off the production line. By spotting defects earlier, corrections can be made ahead of mass production.
2. DUPRO (DURING PRODUCTION) INSPECTIONS
These are checkups at the earlier stages of production to prevent costly mistakes. DUPRO identifies any problems before too many defective items are created. This inspection happens when 20 percent of the batch comes off the production line.
3. DAILY PRODUCTION MONITORING
QC inspectors conduct daily on-site inspections to ensure production maintains the quality from start to finish. The checkup includes monitoring factory procedures, enforcing specifications, and doing random batch checkups.
4. PRE-SHIPMENT INSPECTION (PSI)
The pre-shipment inspection uses ISO standard sampling procedures. An inspector randomly selects a batch when production is 80 percent complete. He checks the sample batch and scrutinizes them for any defects.
5. CONTAINER LOADING CHECK (CLC)
The final and most crucial step in the QC procedures is the container loading check. During the CLC, inspectors ensure that the correct amount of various styles, sizes, and quantities are loaded and shipped.
QC inspectors also check the packaging whether they comply with the safety standards of the destination. They also ensure that coverings and packaging will prevent damage and soiling.
3 Different Types of Defects
Classifying the types of defects found is an essential part of any QC or QA procedure. Being aware of the severity and quantity of the defects helps in making informed shipping decisions.
There are three main categories in classifying defects – minor, major, and critical.
1. MINOR DEFECTS
As the name suggests, these are trivial issues that generally don’t affect the function or form of an item. In most cases, consumers won’t even notice the defect yet it is important to note even these seemingly small issues and improve them nonetheless.
Some examples of minor defects include untrimmed thread or light abrasion on the surface of an item. Such flaws don’t affect the salability of the item.
2. MAJOR DEFECTS
Major defects affect the function, appearance, or performance of a product and are easily noticeable by buyers. These defects are to be avoided since consumers will most likely return the product, request a refund, or file a complaint.
Examples of these defects are missing stitches or scratches on the logo. Both of these defects impact the visual appearance of the product.
Some importers often accept an order if there are few defective products. However, they will reject an order if there are a significant number of flawed products.
3. CRITICAL DEFECTS
Critical defects are the most serious issues that can be discovered during a Quality Control because they will render a product unusable and might cause harm to the consumer when they use the product.
Failing to spot critical defects can translate to financial losses for a company and can also put your business at serious risk of lawsuits, product liability, and product recalls, harming your reputation and consumer trust.
Examples of a critical defect include needles found in an item, sharp points that can harm a user, or damaged wiring with exposed copper.
Facilitate QC Checks With a Digital Checklist Tool
Quality Control Checks are vital for building a strong consumer relationship and fostering trust in your services and products. With QC Checks often being tedious and time consuming a digital checklist is the answer to your problems since they can provide you with all the transparency and conciseness that you need in order to successfully inspect your products.
With Lumiform’s audit app you can easily perform a wide range of quality inspections on the go from your smartphone or tablet – online or offline. Create checklists for your products and make sure that the quality you deliver is outstanding.
- Perfect for quality managers in any industry, Lumiform offers thousands of ready-made templates to choose from, so that your QC checks can quickly and safely go digital.
- If you prefer to create your own checklists, Lumiform provides you with an intuitive form builder that allows you to effortlessly convert any paper-based checklists into a digital format.
- With the Lumiform mobile app you and your employees can perform QC and QA checks with ease and save time.
- Comprehensive and automated analyses help you uncover production errors and critical defects fast and effectively and thus allow you to concentrate on improving your processes continuously.
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